Wai – An Enthralled Weekend Getaway from Mumbai

Wai, is a weekend getaway from Pune/Mumbai . This is hidden gem for tourist who are seeking some peace from the hasty life of the city. It is a small town in Satara district of Maharashtra, Located on the banks of Krishna River.

Beauty of Wai

Looking for a place to visit this monsoon? If you are a nature lover, then ditch some usual local spots this year and take a weekend outing with family or friends to this stunning place and we are sure you will be fascinated with the beauty this place holds. This place has so much to offer starting from temples to rivers to lush green beauty to camping to adventures. Wai is the closest to Famous hill stations “Mahabaleshwar” and “Panchgini”.Wai is at the foothills of Panchgini.

How to Reach Wai:

By Road: We started our journey to Wai by Road (Car) with group of friends from Mumbai. It took us almost 4 -5 hours to reach at the destination. The distance between Mumbai to Wai is 230Km. You can also plan a road trip to Wai from Pune distanced at 89Km. You can also go to Wai via Direct buses from Mumbai. There are several travels which run between Mumbai and Wai like Neeta travels, Swami travels etc. It almost takes similar time (4 hours) to reach at the destination.

By Train: There’s no direct train to Wai from Mumbai. Looking for cheapest way to reach Wai from Mumbai? Just get in to Koyna Express which starts from CST Station of Mumbai till Satara. From Satara you can get the local cabs to reach Wai .This will take almost 6 hours to reach at the destination. If you are looking for a fastest way then you can take any trains running between Mumbai – Pune and get a cab from Pune to Wai.

Stay in Wai: As Wai is a small town and one day trip destination, you will have very limited stay options here. We stayed in the Anandvan Resort (http://www.anandvan.co.in/html/welang.html) located in the small village of Wai called Welang. This Resort is an amazingly off beat place to stay with so much of beauty around it. It is located at the back waters of Dhom dam. It has 6 Cottages made with Bamboo & bricks with an outside sitting area which gives amazing views of sahyadri ranges.

Cottage at the Anandvan Resort, WelangSitting arrangement in the Cottage balconyBed room in the cottageGathering area with extraordinary view

It also has ample place for kids to play outdoor games. They also arrange for Campfire and Barbeque on request. Staff here was extremely friendly and helpful. They also cooked flavorsome dinner for us which satisfied our taste buds.

If you are travelling with a group of friends or with the family, this place will live up to your expectations.

Campfire in the nightWe were served with delicious onion pakodas and tea upon arrival

To experience camping at the bank of Krishna, you can also plan to stay at Krishna River Camp ( http://krishnarivercamp.com/) or Choose I-Camp (http://www.icampresort.com/).

Best season to Travel Wai: We visited Wai in March and trust we had such an amazing weather to drive. Jun – Sep could be apt time for you to travel. You can also choose to visit this place in winters. Avoid going to Wai in April and May as the temperature could hit somewhere between 36 Deg – 40 Deg.

What to see in Wai:

Dhom Dam Backwaters: This is Pangong TSO of Maharashtra. It charms you with pristine clear waters surrounded by beautiful mountain range. There are few boats that take you out for a ride. If you are nature lover, this is the place for you. This spot is quite famous for the Bollywood movie shoots. This spot is quite picturesque and you can spend hours here do camping, photo shoot, fun with the group etc.

Dhom Dam BackwatersGroup of friends enjoying at Dhom Dam BW

Temples: There are two famous temples in Wai one is Wai Mahaganpati Temple also called as Dholya Ganpati temple and other is Kashi Vishweshwar Temple. These temples have their own charm and has many pilgrims visit here. Ganpati temple is famous for its huge idol which is carved on a single stone. Kashi Vishweshwar temple is just 100 feet away from the other one. This temple is huge and famous for Nandi’s idol carved on a single stone.

Dholya Ganpati Temple

Destinations within reach from Wai:

Panchgini – 15Km

Mahabaleshwar – 32Km

The Kaas Plateau (Valley of flowers) – 58Km

Tapola Lake – 59Km

Pune – 85Km

Kamshet – 130Km

Lavasa – 131Km

Adventures at Wai: Get a palate of camping here in the relaxed tents & stargaze the open skies. Adventure lovers can cosset themselves in various activities such as Zip lining, Rappelling and Trekking etc. Become friends with the locals and get a joyful bullock cart ride. There are some water sports activities’ available here like speed boat ride etc, but it is little costly.

Food at Wai: This place has few good restaurants within the town. On the way to Wai from Mumbai, Stop over the restaurant named “Daulat Restaurant” on the Old Mumbai – Pune highway for the casual dining experience. Mouthwatering north Indian food is served here along with yummilicious deserts.

You can stop at Mapro Food Park while returning from Wai. It is a huge place and serve tasty food to eat. you will get everything here starting from Pizza’s to Ice-creams to soups to mocktails etc. It also has lot of Mapro products to take back home. Don’t miss to eat delicious Strawberry cream & shakes here. Taste different types of syrups and juices here to satisfy your taste buds.

Desserts @ Mapro Food ParkSmall Glimpse of Mapro Store

Wai has enough potential to charm with the era reminding the glorious years of Peshwas. Forget your gadgets and stress to connect with nature as you experience this picturesque beauty and enjoy the pleasures of rustic living in Wai. Have great fun with the gang of your friends & family & take back home unlimited memories from this attractive place.

Like this:

Published by mapcameratravel1

We are Vic and Krupa, Indian travel bloggers from Mumbai, HR by profession with an insatiable case of wanderlust.We've spent the past few years crossing the globe with a map in one hand and a camera in the other. This is where we share our travel tales with the hopes of inspiring you to travel.
View all posts by mapcameratravel1

Wai does seem to be the perfect relaxing getaway.. The cottage you’ve rented looks very relaxing.. Love the privacy… And a campfire and barbecue at the resort sounds great! The view in Wai is pretty awesome too.. Good to know there are a lot of activities that one can enjoy… Those desserts looks really yummy btw!

I never ever thought of Wai as a getaway!! Last I heard about it was in the history textbooks when we studied about Shivaji! 😀 What a wonderful post Krupa. You have covered it so well including the yummy food and the destinations near by! 🙂 Pangong Tso of Maharashtra looks so serene! 🙂 Loved the Anandvan resort. Is it the same one that is there in Bhandardara ??

I’m sure many people would never have thought about Wai as a getaway but I think you have just shown how the lesser known places (and places closer to home) are often the most rewarding. It also sounded (and looked) like a really charming little spot – away from the crowds and all the madness that can make us want to take one in the first place:) Thanks for the write up!

I remember Wai from my college days in Pune. I happen to have spent a lot of time here as my room mate was from here. I remember the Wai temple and the entire stretch around it. This post evokes so much nostalgia for me.

What a great getaway! I love having places like this that are close to home, but also far enough away to make you feel like you’ve escaped. It looks relaxing, fun, and like a great place to head with friends for a long weekend 🙂

Really nice that you put all of the details here for getting to this place and what to do there. I thing the camping would be nice as the nature looks great! I like that you can go with family and friends we love adventures in groups!

Search

Search for:

About us

Hello ! Welcome to our Blog ! Map Camera travel is a travel blog by Krupa and Vishal, an Indian couple wanderers , sharing our travel stories and inspiring individuals to get the wonderful travel experiences and give you all some amazing travel goals.